


Lisanna's Mark

by theaceupmyownsleeve



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Edolas (Fairy Tail), Family Feels, Gen, Guild mark, Hurt No Comfort, Lisanna's Guild Mark, Pining, Pre-Edolas Arc, Protective Siblings, Sisters, past Lisanna/Natsu - Freeform, young Lisanna
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:00:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27738049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theaceupmyownsleeve/pseuds/theaceupmyownsleeve
Summary: Lisanna cried her first night in Edolas.Mirajane, Elfman, and Natsu were there, and she could force herself to pretend that they were the same people that she knew and loved, but the adjustment is hard.The constant reminders of what she has lost make it worse.
Relationships: Elfman Strauss & Lisanna Strauss & Mirajane Strauss, Natsu Dragneel/Lisanna Strauss
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	Lisanna's Mark

Lisanna cried her first night in Edolas. 

Mirajane, Elfman, and Natsu were there, and she could force herself to pretend that they were the same people that she knew and loved— the warmth with which her siblings embraced her was certainly familiar.

She had tried not to stare as her older sister had pulled away. Where were her punk vests, her short skirts? The pink ruffled dress she wore seemed much more Lisanna’s own style than Mira’s. 

And Elfman— Was that a  _ bowl cut?  _

Lisanna's jaw had dropped at the sight of him. He had cried as he hugged her, relief on his face, as Lisanna told him over and over that she forgave him. 

That she loved him.

As she spoke, she wished she could say the same to her own brother, worlds away. He would be beating himself up right now, crying just as this Elfman was. 

The thought brought tears to Lisanna’s eyes, as she heaved out a sob, clutching Elfman and Mira tighter. 

Maybe they were not her Elfman and Mira, but they were still important. They loved her just as much as her own siblings did.

Mira tucked a lock of Lisanna’s behind her ear, smiling at her tearfully. “It is so good to see you again,” she murmured. “I thought I would never be able to hug you like this again.”

“Well, I’m here now,” Lisanna reached up to give her hand a squeeze. 

A polite cough sounded from behind her. 

“If you don’t mind, I would like to welcome Miss Lisanna back as well.”

Lisanna’s grip on Mira’s hand tightened enough to break her sister’s fingers. 

“Cana?!” 

“Oh, good! You remember me!” This strange Cana giggled, her voice crisp and airy in the way that Lisanna’s Cana had never spoken in her life. 

Stranger still was her clothing, a collar up to her chin!

“I suppose we can’t keep you all to ourselves,” Mira squeezed her hand, before pushing her towards the Not-Cana. “Our guildmates have missed you too!”

Wizards familiar and strange to her gathered around, hugging her, cheering her on, offering her praise and condolences, cheers for returning. 

Lisanna barely heard them.

The only member of Fairy Tail that even came close to her siblings in importance was—

She rose over her tiptoes and tried to search for him over the heads of her guild mates. 

There he was, sitting at the bar, tracing a finger over the wood counter.

“Natsu!” she yelled, waving towards him.

“Eh!?” he managed to squeak out, his eyes widening as she nearly tackled him off the bar stool in a hug.

“Thank goodness you’re here!”

“Um…” He wiggled in her grip, clasping at her arms where they wrapped around his chest. “Please don’t hurt me?”

Lisanna jerked back, shocked to see genuine fear shining in his eyes. “I would never, Natsu!” 

He folded his arms around himself, trembling. “I… I don’t—”

There was nothing of her Natsu in the panicked look he sent her, flattening himself back against the bar. 

A cold punch of fear settled in Lisanna’s gut. 

A polite Cana. A boyish Elfman. A fearful Natsu.

What else had changed?

“Natsu?” She reached for his hand, but thought better of it. “What were we to each other? Before I…” She what? Vanished? Died? Clearly she was taking some other girl’s place. “Were we…” She swallowed.  _ In love? _

Natsu blinked. “What?”

“Were we friends at least?” She crossed her fingers behind her back. 

“I’m sorry, but I… I don’t know what you want me to say.” 

“You don’t remember me?”

“I’ve never met you!” He pushed back from the bar, flinching away from her as though he worried she would slap him. “Please leave me alone!” Covering his head with his hands, he pushed past her and ran out of the guild.

Lisanna’s knees buckled.

This Natsu had never met her?

She would have fallen to the ground if strong hands had not caught her by the shoulders. Suddenly, her eyesight was filled with curls of white hair, and the familiar scent of Mira’s floral perfume.

Lisanna curled into her, clutching at her clothes and sobbing like she had not done since she was a toddler.

“It’s okay, Lisanna. Elfman and I are here now.” Mira stroked over her hair, murmuring against her ear. “We should get you to bed. You’ve had a long day.” 

She nodded, not trusting her voice. 

Mira had picked her up like she weighed nothing and carried her into one of the guild’s back rooms. 

Barely visible through her haze of tears, Lisanna could see over her sister’s shoulder that the room had been warmly furnished with two beds plush with quilts and a banner with the Fairy Tail guild mark shining brightly on the silken cloth. The whole room sang with a family’s touch, and if the knot in Lisanna’s throat had been any less painful, it would have made her smile. 

Her sister settled her into the bed and drew the quilt up to her chin, stroking her hair with a gentle smile. “I know this must be hard for you, after being away so long.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on Mira’s hand, on the lilt of her voice, the warmth of the bed. 

“I’ve missed you so much.” She reached down to squeeze her shoulder. “Sleep well, Lisanna.”

The cold rushing into Lisanna’s chest as her sister rose spurred her into action, and she flung out her hand to grab Mira’s wrist. “Wait.” She swallowed down a sob, trying to force the shaky words from between her lips. “Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?”

Mira’s face softened. “Of course.”

Lisanna scooted over, and her sister slid beneath the covers to wrap her arms around her. The ache in her chest eased slightly as Mira pressed a light kiss to the top of her head, sighing softly as she relaxed beside her.

Mirajane’s breathing began to even, and Lisanna was almost certain her older sister was asleep when she felt sudden wetness seeping through her hair where Mira’s cheek pressed against the crown of her head.

Her heart squeezed. 

Maybe this Mira was not her Mira, but she was still her sister. The love and warmth she felt radiating from this Mira’s arms as she clutched Lisanna to her chest told her that much. 

She had nothing to say, nothing that would make this better or ease either of their pain. 

Snuggling herself back into her sister’s embrace, Lisanna fell asleep with tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips. 

:3 

The next morning, Lisanna awoke alone. 

The sunlight streaming through her window told her that she had slept past noon, and that Mira was likely elsewhere in the guild. The Mira she knew would have been sulking somewhere dressed in leather, lace, and studs, but she could only guess at what this version of her sister did for fun. 

Sighing, Lisanna swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched. It felt like she had not slept at all. The stiff discomfort of dried tears on her face only served to remind her that she did not belong here. 

“I have to find Mira,” she whispered to herself, scrubbing at her cheeks so fiercely that her skin ached. Dragging herself upwards, she made for the door—

And she stopped short. 

Her own reflection blinked back at her, red eyed and hair rumpled. She turned, hating how it was  _ her  _ in the glass, as if the newfound ache in her chest was not a mockery of her former life.

She was a stranger in her own skin. 

Wrapping her arms around her body, Lisanna turned again when a flash of red caught her eye, ripping her breath from her lungs.

Her guild mark.

It burned on her skin, taunting her, reminding her that out of the corner of her eye, the red ink on her shoulder looked exactly like Natsu’s mark.

They had gotten theirs to match. How could she ignore that fact, when it was branded onto her skin in blazing scarlet? He had held her hand as Master Makarov pressed the stamp down. 

She had been the one to suggest their shoulders, hers on her left, and his on his right, so that when they sat side by side, their marks would still be visible. He had not seemed to care about the placement, as long as he got to pick the color.

“Red, just like Igneel!” He had said, flashing her that wide smile she loved. 

How could she have refused him?

But now, the color only served to shame her, too bold, too bright.

This Natsu’s guild mark was hidden under his clothing, but even if it was the same, it would not be as though she would sit beside him.

And her Natsu— who was she kidding, he had never really been hers— was gone  _ and he was gone and he was— _

Lisanna scrabbled at her mark with her fingers, a sob hiccuping in her chest. 

She wanted it gone too.

Tears streaming down her cheeks, she lashed out blindly at the mirror, sending it tumbling to the floor. 

Glass shattered, sharp shards scattering across the ground. 

They all seemed to reflect her mark up at her, mocking her with a million blood red tattoos, surrounding her and closing in. 

Lisanna sank to her knees, burying her face in her hands. Somewhere on the edge of her consciousness, she heard the sound of a door slamming open, of worried shouts. 

Gentle arm pulled her into a warm chest, and her head was being tilted up between two hands to stare up into her sister’s face. “Are you okay, Lisanna?” 

Lisanna shook her head, sniffling.

Mira offered a sad smile, thumbing away the tears streaking her face. “Come with me out into the guildhall. Elfman will get this glass cleaned up.”

She nodded, letting her older sister pull her to her feet, picking a careful path to the door. 

The guild seemed oddly quiet for Fairy Tail, or maybe Lisanna was just numb. She did not protest as Mirajane helped her up onto the bartop and pulled a rag from behind the taps. 

Her touch was gentle as she pressed the white cloth against the blood seeping from Lisanna’s knee.

She had not even realized she had knelt in glass.

“That’ll be seven years of bad luck somewhere down the line,” Mira chuckled, but her airy tone sounded forced.

“Mira?”

“Yes?” She folded the rag over and dabbed at Lisanna’s other knee. 

“Where is your guild mark?”

Mirajane blinked. “On my leg, why do you ask?” 

Lisanna rubbed her eyes, unable to look her sister in the face. “Can a guild mark be moved? Or can the color be changed?”

“Someone could remove it and have a new one put on. Why? Do you want to move your guild mark?” 

Lisanna nodded, pulling her scraped knees to her chest. 

“Well,” Mira reached out to ruffle her hair. “That could be arranged.” She shifted her skirt, propping her leg up on the bar stool next to her. “I’ve never had to worry about changing mine—” She pointed down at the mark on her thigh, pearly white against her already pale skin— “but I can respect your decision. I know that it must be hard for you, coming back here after so long.” She reached to squeeze Lisanna’s shoulder, raising her chin to stare her in the eye, her blue eyed gaze piercing. “It takes quite a bit of magic to remove and add on a mark, so I want you to tell me if you’re really serious about this.”

“I am.” Lisanna raised her chin. “Do it.”

“Okay. What color do you want?”

“White and on my leg," she swallowed, clenching her fists. “Just like yours.”

  
  



End file.
